The Soviet Government Once Again Exposes Itself

JUST when the Johnson Administration is speeding up the pace
towards a wider war of aggression against Vietnam, the Soviet Government is ready to make a new
deal with U.S. imperialism.

In his “7-point programme” to the 17-nation disarmament
conference which resumed its meeting on January 27 in Geneva, Johnson called for agreement on
“non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.” The representative of the Soviet Government, Semyon
Tsarapkin, openly told reporters that “non-proliferation of nuclear weapons” was one of the
issues “that are ripe for solution” and that there was a possibility of agreement. The Soviet
Union, he said, was “prepared ta sign a non-proliferation agreement as soon as possible.”

The U.S. Administration declared that the “differences among
the members of the conference on Vietnam ... make our common interest in preventing nuclear
spread and curbing the nuclear arms race all the more important to pursue.” And the Soviet
government delegate said: “I do not want to make our discussions dependent on Vietnam.”

The United States and the Soviet Union join in a duet - all
very harmonious and chummy!

U.S. imperialism is right now running up increased military
expenses, calling for more draftees and stepping up its armament supplies. It is transferring
troops from Western Europe and the Atlantic to Asia and the Pacific. It is continuing to
“escalate” its war of aggression against Vietnam and trying to expand it to the whole of
Indo-China and even to China. Obviously the Johnson Administration thinks that its plan for a
wider war in Vietnam and Asia in general makes its “common interest” with the Soviet leaders
“all the more important to pursue.”

The Soviet leaders, it would seem, are no less eager than
Johnson to pursue their “common interest” with U.S. imperialism. This is putting things mildly.
Indeed, it is shocking to find the leaders of what is said to be the most powerful socialist
country deserting another socialist country which is being subjected to ruthless aggression,
and seeking agreement with U.S. imperialism, even declaring that, in doing so, the Vietnam
question can be set aside. But it is a fact. This clearly shows to what depths the Soviet
leaders have sunk in their quest for American-Soviet co-operation.

The speech by the Soviet government delegate in Geneva is
another self-exposure. It shows that the high-sounding utterances made in the past by the
Soviet leaders are not worth a brass kopeck. It may be recalled that the Soviet Government had
issued a statement telling the United States that it could not expect to improve American-Soviet
relations when it was making armed attacks on Vietnam. And yet the delegate of the same
government said in Geneva that the Vietnam question could be set aside and agreement could be
reached with the United States on what he called “measures facilitating the easing of
international tensions.” What can this volte-face be if it is not deliberate betrayal?

It cannot be that the Soviet leaders have forgotten what
they said. The fact is they never suit their actions to their words. Once action is to be
taken, whatever fine words they have uttered are of no consequence.

The struggle now being waged by the great Vietnamese people
to resist U.S. aggression and save their country is the focus of all the struggles of the
peoples of the world against U.S. imperialism. How to treat the Vietnam question is the
touchstone by which to test whether one is truly against U.S. imperialism or only pretending,
and whether one wants genuine peace or sham peace. It is inconceivable that one can speak of
“the easing of international tensions” at a time when U.S. imperialism is further expanding
its war of aggression against Vietnam and wildly slaughtering the Vietnamese people. What
Johnson wants to achieve at the Geneva disarmament conference is merely to benumb the people
of the world and gloss over the sinister designs of the United States to expand its aggressive
war. In their eagerness to reach agreement with the United States for the sake of “common
interest,” the Soviet leaders are, in reality, helping U.S. imperialism to deceive the peoples
and conniving with it in its attempt to widen the war and slaughter still more people in
Vietnam.

Aren’t the Soviet leaders crying for “united action” day
in and day out? It should be noted with whom they are taking united action! They must be told
frankly that so long as they take united action with U.S. imperialism, no Marxist-Leninist,
no revolutionary people in the world will take united action with them.